2007 BMW 530XI

I DISCOVERED FAILURES OF MULTIPLE WIRES IN THE TAILGATE/REAR WINDOW WIRING HARNESSES. THROUGH RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE OVER SEVERAL MODEL YEARS - SEARCH FOR BMW E61 TAILGATE WIRING PROBLEMS. THE FAILURES ARE CAUSED BY A POOR DESIGN WHERE THE WIRES ENTERING THE HINGE GUIDES (4) FOR THE GLASS AND TAILGATE ARE REPEATEDLY FLEXED AT A SHARP ANGLE UNTIL THE INSULATION, THEN THE COPPER WIRE BREAKS. SAFETY ISSUES - POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT LEADING TO FIRES (HIGHEST LOAD IS FOR REAR DEFROSTER); LIGHTING FAILURES (REAR HIGH BRAKE LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LAMPS AND OTHERS); REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO LOSS OF WIPER/WASHER/DEFROSTER; REAR GLASS LATCH OPENING WHILE UNDERWAY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF CARGO OR INGRESS OF EXHAUST FUMES. THIS IS NOT AN EASILY REPAIRED PROBLEM. IT WOULD BE BEYOND THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL BUT A SKILLED MECHANIC WITH PROPER TOOLS. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN THE REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOBS FAILED. AS I INVESTIGATED I FOUND THE BROKEN WIRE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS WITH BROKEN INSULATION, SOME WITH BROKEN COPPER STRANDS. *TR

I WAS RECENTLY MADE AWARE THAT THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS ON 2008+ 5 SERIES VEHICLES. I RECENTLY EXPEREINCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALL NOTICE ON MY REAR TAIL LIGHTS; HOWEVER MY CAR IS A 2007 MODEL. THE I-DRIVE WOULD INTERMITTENLY ALERT THAT A BULB IS OUT. I HAVE REPLACED IT BUT IT WOULD GO OUT AGAIN. I INSPECTED THE BULB CARRIER AND BULB SOCKET AND NOTICED SEVERLY BURNED CONTACT AREA'S WHERE ONE OF THE BULB SOCKETS PLUG IN. THE RECALL CLEARLY IS FOR SEDANS 2008+ BUT I SEEM TO HAVE THE EXACT ISSUE AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES (SEE 5SERIES.NET FORUM WEBSITE). *TR

THE CAR BATTERY DIED AFTER SITTING FOR 6 DAYS, UPON RECHARGING THE BATTERY, THE CAR STARTED UP AND MANY WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING STABILITY CONTROL ISSUE, HIGH DISCHARGE ON BATTERY, STEERING LOCK; AND DATE/TIME RESET. ONCE WE RESTARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WENT AWAY EXCEPT FOR THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT. WARNING LIGHT SAYS "ELECTRIC STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTION. THE WHEEL CANNOT BE UNLOCKED/LOCKED. PLEASE SEE THE NEAREST BMW DEALER FOR SERVICE". AFTER READING REVIEWS, I SEE A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE WHERE THE WARNING LIGHT OCCURS ONCE A BATTERY BECOMES DISCHARGED. ONCE BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REQUIRE A WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THAT IF THE BATTERY DID NOT DIE DUE TO IT SITTING, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE. THANK YOU *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 530XI SPORTS WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A MESSAGE INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THAT THE MAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,400.

A 2007 BMW 530XI CAUGHT FIRE SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS STARTED. THE LAMP CONTROL MODULE BURNED, CAUSING SPARKS, SMOKE, AND BURNING VARIOUS PARTS. THE MECHANIC AT CHAMBERS BMW SAID THAT THE LEFT FRONT HEAD LIGHT COLLECTED MOISTURE, AND THE LIGHTS DRAIN CLOGGED. THE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CAR HAS AHISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IN DEC. 2008, 1 YEAR PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE REAR SUNROOF DRAIN CLOGGED, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL. IT CAUSED THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT TO FALSELY SIGNAL, AS RDC MODULE HAD BURNED OUT. THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH REQUIRED A RADIO REPLACEMENT. A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE, THE DASHBOARD SIGNAL FOR ENGINE OVERHEATING WENT ON DURING A COLD WINTER DAY. WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED HE FIXED IT. TWO DAYS AFTER WE GOT THE CAR BACK, MY WIFE TURNED IT ON, STARTED TO DRIVE, AND THE FIRE STARTED. *TR